Generation Kinship Nomenclature as an Adaptation to Endogamy

Abstract

This paper describes a common variant of the generation pattern of kinship nomenclature and traces its development. The variant, here named bifurcate generation, has developed from bifurcate merging nomenclature among the Carib-speaking Kuikuru of Brazil following social disturbances that caused the relaxation of local and kin group exogamy. Several other instances of historic change from fully bifurcating nomenclatures to the bifurcate generation pattern are cited to show a functional correlation of this pattern with the loss of kin group exogamy. Finally, a numerical correlation of the bifurcate generation variant with social disturbance and the absence of kin group exogamy is shown by comparative data from three ethnographic areas where generation nomenclatures are especially common.